Road runoff waters are able to convey a number of organic and inorganic pollutants originated by different non-point sources and by the road surface itself. Such pollutants can enter aquatic systems, thus contributing to water and soil contamination. This study was aimed at evaluating the pollutant content in first flush runoff waters from a highway located in Central Italy. A water sampling apparatus was devised able to collect only the first 10 L of runoff water. Water samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy, ion chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in order to determine metals, ions, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, respectively. Soil samples were collected as well for metal and hydrocarbon determination. Results obtained in a field experiment carried out in two different seasons and in two different sites along the highway are reported. The study was extended to water samples collected in a strip of the same road not yet in use. Results obtained showed a temporal and a spatial variability due to the different period rainfall and to sites features, respectively. Within such a variability, a substantial agreement, in terms of order of magnitude, with other studies carried out in European sites was observed

The aim of the described experimentation was the comparison of a low cost MBBR and an activated sludge system (AS). The MBBR applied system consists of the FLOCOR-RMP® plastic media with a specific surface area of about 160 m2/m3 (internal surface only). The comparison with activated sludge (AS) was performed by two parallel treatment lines. Organic substance removal and nitrification were investigated over a 1-year period. Comparing the results obtained with the two lines, it can be observed AS totCOD removal efficiencies were higher than MBBR ones; the average efficiencies for totCOD removal were 76% for MBBR and 84% for AS. On the contrary, the solCOD removals resulted alike (71% for both systems). In spite of the remarkable variations of wastewater temperature, mainly in winter (range of 5–21°C), the average ammonium removal efficiency resulted 92% for MBBR and 98% for AS. With an ammonium loads up to 1.0 g m2 d−1 (up to 0.12 kg m−3 d−1), nitrification efficiencies in MBBR were more than 98%. At higher loads decrease in the MBBR efficiency was registered; that is related to the increase in the applied COD load.

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